Science and Mathematics Education Commons^™

Using Minecraft To Integrate Common Core Activities Across Elementary School Curriculum, William A J Couling

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

Minecraft, an open world sandbox game rich with educational possibility, has been a growing sensation among elementary age children across the US. Though there has been some experimentation in a number of schools across the United States, there has been no mass movement to embracing Minecraft as a virtual learning environment. With advances in the fields of Virtual Learning Environments and the new wave of educational thinking known as the “Maker Movement,” the modern educational field has an opportunity for radical new ways of teaching. Using an elementary school as a model in the Monterey Bay area, I surveyed a …

A Quantitative Analysis Of Factors Influencing The Professional Longevity Of High School Science Teachers In Florida, James Alexander Ridgley Jr

Dissertations

This dissertation is an exploratory quantitative analysis of various independent variables to determine their effect on the professional longevity (years of service) of high school science teachers in the state of Florida for the academic years 2011–2012 to 2013–2014. Data are collected from the Florida Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, and the National Assessment of Educational Progress databases. The following research hypotheses are examined: H₁ – There are statistically significant differences in Level 1 (teacher variables) that influence the professional longevity of a high school science teacher in Florida. H₂ – There are statistically significant …

An Analysis Of The Act Sub-Scores’ Ability To Predict The Outcome Of College Algebra Through The Lens Of Modern Chaos Theory, Johnathan Jay Mcewen

Dissertations

ACT scores are widely used to predict outcomes in coursework and serve as placement guidelines for college level courses such as college algebra. Due to a changing college environment, the appropriateness of these placement decisions takes on a new, more critical light. Given the rate of success for current predictions in college algebra, and the resulting consequences for misplacement, this study examines the predictive potential of the ACT scores through the examination of non-linear variables and a metaphorically chaotic interpretational lens.

The literature base for this study reveals, almost to exclusion, the use of linear models for the prediction of …

Analysis Of Professors’ Perceptions Towards Institutional Redevelopment Of Brownfield Sites In Alabama, Berkley Nathaniel King Jr.

Dissertations

This study was conducted to analyze professors’ perceptions on the institutional redevelopment of brownfield sites into usable greenspaces. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (2011) refers to brownfields as sites, (either facility/land) under public law § 107-118 (H.R. 2869), which are contaminated with a substance that is classified as a hazard or a pollutant. Usable greenspaces, however, are open spaces or any open piece of land that is undeveloped, has no buildings or other built structures, and is accessible to the public (EPA, 2015).

Open green spaces provide recreational areas for residents and help to enhance the beauty and environmental quality …

Educational Journeys Of Successful Hispanic Science Professionals, Gizelle Ann Luevano

All Theses And Dissertations

This qualitative case study examined the science identity and educational experiences, including discrimination, perseverance, and mentorship, of Hispanics in science. The participants were asked to reflect on their 1) educational journeys including obstacles they encountered during their education, 2) support systems while in college, 3) science identities, and 4) their advice for future Hispanic science majors. To capture the stories of successful Hispanic science professionals in detail, transcripts were utilized as data sources. Once member check was conducted, transcripts were analyzed by utilizing qualitative computer software. Grounded science identity model and social capital theory were utilized as the conceptual frameworks. …

Leveling The Playing Field: Teacher Perception Of Integrated Stem, Engineering, And Engineering Practices, Bridgette Fincher

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to describe the perceptions and approaches of 14 third-through-fifth grade Arkansan elementary teachers towards integrative engineering and engineering practices during 80 hours of integrated STEM professional development training in the summer and fall of 2014. This training was known as Project Flight. The purpose of the professional development was to learn integrated STEM content related to aviation and to write grade level curriculum units using Wiggins and McTighe’s Understanding by Design curriculum framework. The current study builds upon on the original research.

Using a mixed method exploratory, embedded QUAL[quan] case study design and a …

An Analysis Of Secondary Integrated Stem Lesson Plans: Common Characteristics, Learning Expectations And The Impact From The Teacher's Definition Of I-Stem, Jacob Hayward

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative study investigated teachers’ understanding of their definition of I-STEM (Integrated STEM education), how those understandings manifested into lessons and associated lesson artifacts, how they assessed students in such lessons, and what factors or rationales supported their ability to conduct or not conduct I-STEM lessons. A survey was sent to the members of four professional organizations representing I-STEM disciplines to solicit their participation in this project. Ten teachers ranging from grades 9-12 participated in this study. Of those who responded, six teachers identified with National Science Teachers Association (NSTA), three teachers selected International Technology and Engineering Education Association (ITEEA), …

Minority Middle And High School Students' Interest In Science: An Exploration Of Teachers' Perceptions, Caroline Makere

Dissertations

A high school teacher conducted a study about minority middle and high school students’ interest in science. The problem was to find out why African American and Hispanic students were showing very little interest in science. The researcher used four middle school science teachers and nine high school science teachers, all from inner city schools in a big city of the Midwest United States except for one middle school teacher from a nearby suburb. The participants answered a survey questionnaire followed with a face-to-face recorded interview. The findings of the study confirmed that students showed little interest in science due …

Oral Microbial Burden Of Periodontal Pathogens Among Orthodontic Patients, David Jolley

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Objectives

Many research studies involving orthodontic patients have a natural inclination to focus on changes in levels of cariogenic pathogens after bracket placement, and very few studies examine the role of changes of periodontal pathogens – particularly among adult patients. Interestingly, recent evidence suggests that increased levels of a specific periodontal pathogen, Fusobacterium nucleatum, may elevate risk for development of colon cancer in adults through direct pathways. Based upon this new evidence, the objective of the current study was to screen saliva samples taken from orthodontic patients to determine the prevalence of periodontal pathogens, including F. Nucleatum, T. denticola, and …

Process Development For The Fabrication Of Semiconductor Devices And Circuits Using Spin-On Dopant, Richard R. Ryan

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Traditional approaches to semiconductor device fabrication are expensive and time consuming, making them out of reach for most universities and colleges. The objective of this thesis is to develop a process by which semiconductor devices and circuits can be implemented completely in-house using spin-on dopants (SODs), and low-cost transparency masks, to significantly reduce the lead time, complexity, and cost associated with device fabrication. This will allow hands on fabrication experience for students at universities and colleges without the traditional expensive device fabrication facilities. In addition, it will also allow students and professors to design, fabricate and test semiconductor devices and …

How Select Groups Of Preservice Science Teachers With Inquiry Orientations View Teaching And Learning Science Through Inquiry, Peggy Diana Ward

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Although hailed as a powerful form of instruction, in most teaching and learning contexts, inquiry-based instruction is fraught with ambiguous and conflicting definitions and descriptions. Yet little has been written about the experiences preservice science teacher have regarding their learning to teach science through inquiry. This project sought to understand how select preservice secondary science teachers enrolled in three UTeach programs in Arkansas conceptualize inquiry instruction and how they rationalize its value in a teaching and learning context. The three teacher education programs investigated in this study are adoption sites aligned with the UTeach Program in Austin, TX that distinguishes …

Pedagogical Moves As Characteristics Of One Instructor’S Instrumental Orchestrations With Tinkerplots And The Ti-73 Explorer: A Case Study, James L. Kratky

Dissertations

Those supporting contemporary reform efforts for mathematics education in the United States have called for increased use of technologies to support student-centered learning of mathematical concepts and skills. There is a need for more research and professional development to support teachers in transitioning their instruction to better meet the goals of such reform efforts.

Instrumental approaches to conceptualizing technology use in mathematics education, arising out of the theoretical and empirical work in France and other European nations, show promise for use to frame studies on school mathematics in the United States. Instrumental genesis is used to describe the bidirectional and …

Examining The Influence Of Number Line Fraction Task Characteristics On Student Work, Sharlee Hatch

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

Research supports the claim that classrooms with teachers who respond to student thinking in the mathematics classroom will see greater student gains and student success (Lamon, 1996; Sleep & Boerst, 2012). The topic of fractions is both difficult to teach and learn, but has important implications on future success in mathematics and in life. This study set out to explore the ways in which student work is influenced by characteristics of number line fraction tasks. By examining task type, number line structure, and number choice this study shares the way these task characteristics influenced student strategies. The relationship between task …

Effects Of Intelligent Computer-Generated Interactive Mathematics Programs On Students’ Achievement And Affective Domain, Holly Marie Wendel

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship each of the mathematics web-based programs, MyMathLab and Assessments and Learning in Knowledge Spaces (ALEKS), has with students’ mathematics achievement. In addition, the study examined the relationship between students’ affective domain and the type of program as well as student achievement. The affective domain measures were students’ anxiety, self-efficacy as well as their attitudes towards mathematics. The study used a quasi-experimental nonrandomized pretest-posttest control group during the spring 2016 semester. The data were collected using several different instruments including: (a) a questionnaire, (b) a test of prerequisite skills, and (c) …

Engaging The Community: Reflections On A Steam Institute, Dennis Doyle, Yat-Long Sam Poon

The Transdisciplinary STEAM+ Journal

Staff at an elementary school working with artists from a non-profit arts integration professional development organization developed a highly engaging full day STEAM Institute to engage the community in experiential STEAM learning practices and to leverage the experience for systemic impact. This reflection considers the outcomes that went well beyond the original goals.

Harmonic Scale Transformations, John H. Chalmers

The Transdisciplinary STEAM+ Journal

My artwork derives from a project to delineate the transformations certain types of harmonic musical scales undergo as the sizes of their generating intervals vary over the space of the octave.

From Stem To Steam: Students’ Beliefs About The Use Of Their Creativity, Ayse Tugba Oner, Sandra Bonorden Nite, Robert M. Capraro, Mary Margaret Capraro

The Transdisciplinary STEAM+ Journal

To be successful in a STEM career, not only STEM knowledge and skills but also creativity is required. Therefore, the arts have been integrated into STEM disciplines and subsequently designated as STEAM education (Sousa & Pilecki, 2013). One example of informal learning environments that STEAM education provided is a summer camp. In this study, middle and highs school students’ use of their creativity in the Project-based Learning (PBL) courses was examined to determine students’ belief about the use of the arts in STEM activities. The results showed that students believed that they used their creativity in eight of the nine …

Maker Education: The Steam Playground, Amanda Opperman

The Transdisciplinary STEAM+ Journal

Educators who are committed to teaching STEAM in their classes and programs will be inspired and encouraged by the capabilities for multidisciplinary instruction and project based learning offered by an emerging pedagogy known as Maker Education. While making was previously thought of as STEM-focused, it can easily be integrated across all subjects. Maker Ed's Resource Library has a section on Projects and Learning Approaches, which includes many cross-curricular project ideas that expand this model of education from STEM to STEAM and beyond.

Stem Education Discrepancy In The United States And Singapore, Elizabeth K. Worsham, Aaron Clevenger, Kelly A. Whealan-George

Beyond: Undergraduate Research Journal

One of the hottest topics over the past several years has been science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education. The United States is lagging behind in the STEM education rankings as compared to its counterparts in Europe and Asia, including Singapore, ranked second overall in math and science based on the Program of International Student Assessment. Even as such a small country, Singapore has one of the best education systems in the world, one of the busiest ports, and is a leader in the science and technology market. One factor of this is the family life and the culture that …

A Longitudinal Examination Of A Ssi-Embedded Experiential Environmental Education Course And Environmental Behaviors, Mark H. Newton

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

A perennial goal of environmental education is to produce a scientifically literate citizenry capable of negotiating and resulting complex environmental problems. Popular methods of environmental education instruction tend to overemphasize scientific content knowledge and neglect to consider ethical and moral aspects of the problem. This qualitative study examines the longitudinal association between an experiential environmental education course infused with SSI instruction and students’ environmental behaviors. The results indicate that several students’ conceptualizations of contentious environmental issues change after completing the course and specifically. Furthermore, students’ willingness to act to resolve contentious environmental issues was most closely associated with their environmental …

Race, Space, And The Conflict Inside Us, Francis Su

All HMC Faculty Publications and Research

Talking about race is hard. Our nation is wrestling with some open wounds about race. These sores have been around a while, but they have been brought to light recently by technology, politics, and an increasingly diverse population. And regardless of the outcome of the U.S. presidential election, we will all need to work at healing these sores, not just in our personal lives, but in our classrooms and in our profession.

An Examination Of Accessible Hands-On Science Learning Experiences, Self-Confidence In One’S Capacity To Function In The Sciences, And Motivation And Interest In Scientific Studies And Careers., Mick D. Isaacson, Cary Supalo, Michelle Michaels, Alan Roth

Journal of Science Education for Students with Disabilities

This study examined the potential relationship of accessible hands-on science learning experiences to the development of positive beliefs concerning one’s capacity to function in the sciences and motivation to consider science as a college major and career. Findings from Likert survey items given before and after engaging in accessible hands-on science laboratories show that students who were blind or had low vision (BLV) were more likely to agree with the following items after engaging in accessible science experiences: 1) I plan on enrolling as a science major in college; 2) My educational experiences, so far, have given me the …

Stem Stories, November 2016, #3, Mir Ashfaquzzaman

STEM Stories

Student Profile - Jessica Wayson

‘When I Am Being Rushed It Slows Down My Brain’: Constructing Self-Understandings As A Mathematics Learner, Rachel Lambert

Education Faculty Articles and Research

Understanding learning disabilities (LDs) as constructed through multiple cultural practices including discourse, this paper focuses on a Latino middle school student with a LD named Elijah. This study documents both the discourses and practices used to position Elijah as a mathematics learner, as well as his use of similar discourses as he constructs a complex set of self-understandings as a mathematics learner. Elijah is positioned by discourses that prioritise speed as an indicator of mathematical ability, as well as discourses that construct students with LD as having both intelligence and differences such as processing speed. An analysis of interview and …

Self-Study Of A Supervisor Making Connections In An Integrated Instructional Third Space In Elementary Mathematics And Field Experience, Katie Arndt

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Too often teachers see mathematics as a culturally neutral subject. Teacher educators need to be aware of their own practice and how it impacts the facilitation of preservice teacher learning, in particular in relation to elementary mathematics and culturally responsive teaching. This qualitative self-study focused on understanding a teacher educator’s enactment of an espoused platform in an integrated instructional third space of an elementary field experience and an elementary mathematics methods course in relation to culturally responsive teaching and mathematics. The research questions guiding this self-study were: (1) In the context of the selfstudy, to what extent do I enact …

Eastern Kentucky University's Program Of Distinction: Highlighting Research Within The Colege Of Justice And Safety, Naomi M. Sigler, Kayla Tunajek

Posters-at-the-Capitol

Posters at the Capitol 2016-2017 Abstract

University: Eastern Kentucky University – College of Justice & Safety

Program: Fire, Arson, and Explosion Investigation

Student Presenters: Kayla Tunajek and Naomi Sigler

Faculty Mentor: Paul Grant

Title: Eastern Kentucky University’s Program of Distinction: Highlighting Research within the College of Justice and Safety

Keywords: Program of Distinction; Eastern Kentucky University; fire programs; research projects; student opportunities.

ABSTRACT

This project is intended to represent the Program of Distinction at EKU. The fire program at Eastern provides students several unique majors and encourages students to do research within their respective fields. This research is then presented …

Stem Stories, November 2016, #2, Mir Ashfaquzzaman

STEM Stories

Student Profile - Kaleb Luse

The Emerging Genetics Workforce: A Study Of Physician Geneticists' Professional Lives, Heather Gosnell

Posters-at-the-Capitol

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study is to explore the current practice and geographic location trends of physicians certified in clinical genetics, clinical biochemical genetics, and medical biochemical genetics during the 2011, 2013, and 2015 certification cycles.

METHODS: Physicians’ personal data was collected from public internet domains including the American Board of Medical Genetics and Genomics (ABMGG) provider database, the CMS National Plan and Provider Enumeration System, publically available professional-biographies, and university affiliations. The search results were cross-referenced for the greatest accuracy. Geographic location data was plotted onto maps.

RESULTS: Approximately 27% (n=69) physicians board-certified in genetics are currently practicing …

Non-Science Major Undergraduate Students’ High School Science Experiences: An Exploratory Case Study, Feng Li, Xuan Jiang

The Qualitative Report

Previous studies reported relatively low correlation coefficients between students’ high school science experiences and their science identities. This needs more exploratory studies to investigate the reasons for these low correlation coefficients. This article presents the high school science experiences of three non-science major undergraduate students and the influence from their experiences, in their perspective, on their choice of a non-science major in college. Three female Hispanic non-science major undergraduate students were interviewed about their high school science experiences. Data were analyzed to answer the research question: From three female Hispanic students’ perspectives, what are some factors from high school science …

Timss 2015 : A First Look At Australia's Results, Sue Thomson, Nicole Wernert, Elizabeth O'Grady, Sima Rodrigues

TIMSS 2015

The goal of TIMSS is to provide comparative information about educational achievement across countries to improve teaching and learning in mathematics and science. It is designed, broadly, to align with the mathematics and science curricula in the participating education systems and countries, and focuses on assessment at Year 4 and Year 8. It also provides comparative perspectives on trends in achievement in the context of different education systems, school organisational approaches and instructional practices; and to enable this, TIMSS collects a rich array of background data from students, schools and teachers, and also collects data about the education systems themselves. …